We Are Our Mother of Perpetual Help Parish

Weekend Mass schedule change

Effective Weekend of July 19-20, 2025

Dear Family,

Considering the declining number and ages of priests and the smaller number of people attending mass, parishes have been asked by the Archdiocese of Detroit (AOD) to review and adjust their mass schedules.

The Factors to be considered are the number and ages of priests in the Family, seating capacity, the Sunday Mass average attendance, and the distance between Parishes.

Churches in the Family are urged by the AOD to coordinate Mass schedules, enabling priests to support one another. The AOD also suggests that each Mass should have a significant attendance.

Our current situation

In our Family Sent on Mission, we currently have three available priests (Fr. Paul Chateau, age 85, Fr. Jeff Scheeler, age 73, Fr. Jeremy Harrington, age 92). Two of the Family priests (Fr. Patrick J. Connell and Fr. Tomas Miliauskas) are on medical leave. We certainly keep them in our prayer.

Here's a breakdown of the average weekend attendance for March and May:

Considering the challenges faced by our Family of Parishes and the guidance from the Archdiocese of Detroit (AOD), we have set the following Mass Schedule, effective July 19-20, 2025:

Saturday:     

4:30pm at Transfiguration

4:30pm at Our Lady of La Salette

4:30pm at Our Mother of Perpetual Help

Sunday:     

8:00am and 11:00am at Transfiguration

9:30am at Our Lady of La Salette

10:00am at Our Mother of Perpetual Help

10:30am Divine Providence

As we embark on this journey of adapting to our new Mass schedule, we extend a warm invitation to all members of our Parishes to join us with open hearts and minds.  Change can be challenging, but it also presents an opportunity for growth, renewal, and deeper connection and care within our community.

A Unified Community

We are blessed to be part of a vibrant and diverse community. The new Mass schedule is designed to foster unity and cooperation among our parishes. By coordinating our Mass times and sharing our resources, we hope to strengthen our bonds and ensure that everyone has ample opportunity to participate in the Eucharist. Even with this revision, we will need regular assistance by a visiting priest.

Opportunities for Growth

With fewer Masses, we anticipate that the gatherings will be larger, creating a more energetic and enthusiastic atmosphere. Let us take this opportunity to welcome new faces and support one another in faith.

Embracing Change with Grace

We understand that change requires letting go of familiar routines. However, we encourage you to approach this transition with grace and optimism. By doing so, we honor the spirit of resilience and adaptability that characterizes our community.

Staying Connected

We remain committed to keeping you informed and connected throughout this transition. Our bulletins, websites, and social media channels will provide updates and reminders about the new schedule.

Rationale of the Mass Schedule

1. The attendance at the Divine Providence Saturday 4:00 pm mass is usually less than 20. The invitation is to go to the nearby Church of Transfiguration or one of the other parishes in the Family.

2. The masses are staggered so people can attend a mass close to a time they prefer, even if it is not in the campus they prefer.

3. The consolidation of masses at Our Mother of Perpetual Help and Our Lady of La Salette into a single Sunday mass not only accommodates the current number of attendees but also takes advantage of the excellent facilities each building offers.

4. The Church of the Transfiguration, despite being the smallest campus on our Family Sent on Mission, consistently welcomes the highest number of attendees on a typical weekend. To accommodate their attendance and ensure a comfortable worship environment, we have maintained both Sunday masses. This accommodates parishioners of our Family who prefer an earlier or later Sunday mass.

5. We honor Divine Providence parish's cultural heritage while ensuring accessibility for all. As an ethnic parish, many travel far for Mass. During Fr. Tomas’s leave, services will primarily be in English with people responding in Lithuanian. This approach maintains, to the best of our ability, diversity and inclusivity.

Because of our need, the AOD has encouraged us to move forward, even as Fr. Connell and Fr. Tomas are away.

Fr. Jeff, Fr. Paul, Deacon Dan